Pressure on Johnson over funding of private office

Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to explain how his private office complies with rules over taxpayer subsidies after further revelations about how his staff appear to be overseeing his global commercial operations.

- Jessica Elgot, Tom Burgis, Henry Dyer

A leak of data from the Office of Boris Johnson appears to show all three of his staff helping Johnson's business and profit-making ventures.

The office is partly funded by the public duty costs allowance (PDCA), which the rules say should only be used to support the public work of former prime ministers. Johnson said he had followed the rules.

Five other former prime ministers – Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Liz Truss – have released statements saying they fully comply with the rules prohibiting the use of public funds for private business. It is understood that Rishi Sunak does not claim the allowance.

Brown said there was now a need for the introduction of rules that would require former prime ministers to publicly declare their business interests. There are calls for the National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises public spending, including the PDCA scheme for former prime ministers, to launch an inquiry.

Johnson did not directly respond to questions about the slew of revelations concerning his apparent attempts to monetise his time in Downing Street after stepping down as prime minister in September 2022.

They include business ventures in Venezuela, the UAE and Saudi Arabia involving individuals he met while he was the prime minister.